CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Clarksville residents will soon have a new way to beat traffic congestion as the city breaks ground on a new pedestrian bridge, offering locals a vehicle-free option to get downtown.
On Tuesday, Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department officials and other city leaders broke ground on the new project.
The pedestrian bridge will ultimately connect 11 miles of greenway throughout the city, including the APSU Trailhead.
“It's really exciting, you know it was exciting when we first heard about it six, seven years ago, and to see it finally happening now is.. unfortunately a lot of people who were here for the construction of this have moved on to either graduate or other jobs. But folks like me who have been here through all of the process, it's going to be fun to make that connection and I can't wait to walk across the river,” said Wes Powell, Director of Landscapes and Grounds for Austin Peay State University.
Powell said APSU’s trailhead was completed in 2019, with the idea of it feeding in into the pedestrian greenway now underway.
“It's a connection between existing trails, so it's going to allow folks in the downtown part of Clarksville to connect with the north part of Clarksville and it's been a long-awaited process,” Powell added.
The new greenway bridge comes with a price tag of $5.8 million, 80% of which TDOT will cover through its Transportation Alternatives Program.
The Red River Pedestrian Bridge Project in Clarksville demonstrates a strong potential to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians and bicyclists in an area currently lacking adequate infrastructure for these users. Additionally, this project is designed with future phases in mind, allowing for the potential expansion and continued development of alternative transportation options in the area.
TDOT values its strong partnership with the City of Clarksville, which ensures that transportation systems function effectively, are responsive to growth, and support the overall well-being of residents and the regional economy
TDOT
Brad Averitt serves as APSU’s Assistant Vice President of Alumni and Engagement. He looks forward to using the trail personally, in addition to incorporating it into APSU’s “Run for Govs” events.
“I think it's huge, Clarksville, our entire community, they want to be active, they want to be on their feet, they want opportunities so I think it's great now there's literally a connection between the downtown, between campus, and the Northwest part of Clarksville,” Averitt said. “The 5K grew tremendously last year, so the opportunity to look at expanding our distance and using other portions of the trail to grow that race, it's huge for us.”
City officials hope to see construction complete in March of 2026.
